Parish Retreat
A highlight of the year at All Souls is the parish retreat, held each fall at the Bishop’s Ranch near Healdsburg in Sonoma County – a wonderful place to be in autumn. The beautiful acres of oak woodland include an enclosed playground and a room-sized tree house, along with a pool, comfortable guest accommodations, a historic ranch house, and a lovely small chapel. The ranch is owned by the Diocese of California and is pledged to the restoration and preservation of native habitats. All ages participate in reflection, worship, hymn singing, hiking, Bible study, spirituality groups, wine tasting, and just quietly talking with old friends and new. Recent programs for our retreat include, “Prayer: The Soul in Paraphrase, the Heart in Pilgrimage” and, “A Day with St. Francis in Story and Song.”
The 2010 theme is “Jesus - Still Point of the Turning World.” In the busyness of life, we often search for ways to find a calming center. The disciples asked Jesus to “teach us how to pray.” We will look at different forms of prayer and different ways to pray. There are activities for all ages. Kids’ theme is “Five Ways to Pray: Using all of our Senses to Find the Stillpoint.” We’ll be walking the labyrinth, engaging in art, burning incense, singing and playing music and eating to find ways to come closer to God. The retreat is September 17-19, 2010.
